China Lauds Pakistan for “Doing Its Best” Against Terrorism

Pakistan’s foreign minister admitted Pak needed to rein in terror outfits to avoid “embarrassment” on global stage

Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain. 

(Photo: AP)

Seeking to placate its all-weather ally, China said on Friday that Pakistan has done its "best" to combat terrorism and "some countries" must give it full credit for that, days after Beijing backed the BRICS' declaration which named Pakistan-based terror groups like LeT and JeM for the first time.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi addressed a joint press conference with Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif in Beijing and said:

Pakistan is a good brother and iron friend of China. No one knows Pakistan and understands Pakistan better than China.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi

Asif is visiting China after China backed a tough resolution on terrorism at the just concluded BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Xiamen.

The resolution expressed concern over violence caused by terrorist groups, including Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) and Haqqani network.

The BRICS indictment also followed a scathing criticism of Pakistan over terrorism-related issues by US President Donald Trump in his South Asia and Afghanistan policy.

The Pakistani government rejected the statement made by the BRICS powers at the summit which condemned the country for being a safe haven for terror groups.

Pakistan said that no terrorist organisation ‘has any complete safe havens’ in their country, with Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan saying that they were clearing out remnants of these organisations.

Ahead of his visit, Asif for the first time admitted Pakistan needed to rein in terror outfits to avoid “embarrassment” on the global stage.

Avoiding any direct references to BRICS declaration, Wang said terrorism was a global issue and requires concerted efforts from all countries.

Instead of blaming each other, countries need to work with each other. For years Pakistan has been a victim of terror and more importantly Pakistan is an important participant in international cooperation against terrorism.

"The government and people of Pakistan made huge efforts and sacrifice on the fight against terrorism and such efforts and sacrifice are there for everyone to see. The international community should recognise that. When it comes to the issue of counterterrorism, we believe Pakistan has done its best with a clear conscience," he said.

The declaration of BRICS, in which China is a prominent member, had expressed "concern" over the security situation in the region and the violence caused by the Taliban, ISIS, Al-Qaeda and its affiliates including Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) active in China's Xinjiang and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Haqqani network, LeT, JeM, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Hizb ut-Tahrir.

The naming of the JeM in the declaration also sparked speculation whether China would continue to resist efforts by India to bring about a UN ban on its leader Masood Azhar.

(With inputs from PTI)